As mobile devices continue to become more prevalent, and as the amount of information that may be accessed by mobile devices increases, it can be challenging for mobile device users to locate relevant information quickly. Searching for information on a mobile device is different than searching for information on a traditional computer system in several ways. First, a mobile device display screen is considerably smaller than a traditional computer monitor, which limits the screen space that is available for a search interface and the display of search results. Second, mobile devices are subject to a greater time lag during a search than a personal computer. A search string is sent from the mobile device to a remote server, processed, and search results returned to the mobile device. Third, the search results that will be most relevant for a user of a mobile device may differ from those that are most relevant for a user of a personal computer. A mobile device user is typically looking for information that relates to something the user is doing at the moment, such as searching for information about a particular location or answering a specific question. Mobile device users are not typically performing extensive research, accessing large or numerous files, or other activities for which a traditional computer is usually used. Finally, communication by voice is much more common on a mobile device than on a personal computer.
A search interface that allows mobile device users to locate relevant information in a timely manner, while taking advantage of the unique mobile device environment, is therefore desired.